


The Shadow Conspiracy

by OnyxCrimsonBlur



Series: Sonic ReGen Novellas [1]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fan Comic Novella, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27585008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnyxCrimsonBlur/pseuds/OnyxCrimsonBlur
Summary: "The mystery of chaos and the struggles of a scientist. One man peers into the past to discover not everything is as it seems and that something has been left unfinished. Watch as he pieces it together in The Shadow Conspiracy"
Series: Sonic ReGen Novellas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016413
Kudos: 6





	1. Act 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to The Shadow Conspiracy, a four-part novella depicting a story for Sonic ReGen (@SonicReGen) written in collaboration with the project lead and co-lead Titus Dunn on Twitter. @TiDunnOnTheRunn
> 
> This story is the origin of Shadow the Hedgehog in our fan comic that is currently under construction. If you like what you read and want to contribute to the process you can stop by our website www.sonicregen.com or you can go to our twitter @SonicReGen and follow the links to the discord server.
> 
> Enjoy!

The Shadow Conspiracy 

Act 1

## Credits

Scenario: Titus Dunn

Writer: OnyxCrimsonBlur

Revisions: Titus Dunn, OnyxCrimsonBlur

A gray-haired man walked down the long, sterile hall, lab coat softly billowing behind him. The lab was quiet tonight, more so than usual. His hands were holding boxes of research handed down to him by top officials. He joined this organization to do good for the world, complete research from his long-dead idol. Apparently, before his death, he’d picked him out of a number of applicants. He was grateful for the opportunity, to be sure, but he wondered why him of all people. With a sigh, he scanned his retina in the panel beside the door it opened with a mechanical hiss. This was to be his home for the foreseeable future. 

Sleek metal walls greeted him as the door clanged behind, sealing him inside. With a sigh, Chuck Thorndyke sat the boxes on top of a nearby work table and pulled out one of the many journals sitting inside. Each journal was dated and contained notes he’d need to start the project he was tasked with. Ditching his white lab coat, he grabbed a cup of coffee from the machine beside the workstation and sat down. Pulling over his own notebook, he decided taking notes on Gerald’s research would be a good place to start.

Working for GUN was not going to be an easy endeavor, but he was quite eager to complete the life’s work of his idol. Gerald Robotnik was a man quite shrouded in mystery in his old age. He had been secluded to the GUN headquarters and not heard from for years. Chuck remembered reading a lot of his scientific publications, some of the research GUN let out to the public. The man was quite accomplished. Though, he only read bits and pieces about the research he was about to undertake. A lot of the articles focused more on the scientific advancements the man had made, plus back issues on his archeological finds.

Opening the first journal, the pages were worn and stained by age, there were notes in the margins and little scribbled drawings. There was a folder behind the journal that Chuck assumed were whatever schematics that went with this particular entry. Sipping his coffee, he tucked in to read them. It was going to be a long night. 

XXXxxx

**The sun beat down on the hot desert sand, the temperature sweltering, as the dig finally came to a halt. An entryway to a tomb was finally unearthed and the leader of the team sighed with sudden relief as he wiped his brow with a handkerchief. Said kneeling man, took off his hat to reveal a balding head, a set of graying eyebrows, and a set of eyeglasses perched upon his nose. He stood up from his kneeling position, replacing his hat atop his head before turning to the worker on his left. They nodded to each other in affirmation.**

**“By Chaos, we’ve done it, Gerald. All those years and it’s finally paid off,” the young man said, smiling. His blue eyes twinkled with mirth.**

**Of course, Gerald couldn’t remember his name, so he just patted him on the shoulder in reply. They had been looking for this location for months now. All of the stone tablets predicted it’d be in this location: The key to life. A key to cures for common diseases, and a chance to help others. However, this discovery was not without its price. He’d had to sell his soul to the proverbial devil for the funding. GUN was more than happy to take the reins and provide him everything he needed for the discovery, but whatever he found was under their purview.**

**He couldn’t discuss his findings without them present, couldn’t write papers without them being sanitized. Some days he wondered if it was really worth it; he wondered if it was worth the risk. He wanted to do good in this world, and this discovery was going to make it happen. He would realize this, this dream. With a sigh, he followed the workers into the tomb, GUN officials were pulling up the rear as they lit glow sticks and started to explore the markings on the entrance walls.**

**He could make out some of the symbols, but without his notebooks, the translations were only partial. Gerald admitted to being a bit amiss in studying this language more thoroughly. Though, he did recognize the symbols that would lead him to the answers he sought. A few paces further in and there on the back wall was a huge mural depicting something he never thought possible. It looked as though it was a prediction of future events.**

**The mural was quite old, crumbling, and dusty. He pulled out a small tool kit from his breast pocket and eased out the brush. A small, loose bristled angled brush perfect for delicate work. With a practiced hand and steady, even movements he removed centuries of cobwebs, grime, and sand until an image began to form. Taking several breaks in between, he was finally able to clear away a significant portion of the mural and as he stepped off the ladder, a gasp left his dry throat.**

**A creature, a hedgehog fighting a mechanical suit. A huge stone in the hand of robotic creation as they fought in what appeared to be space. Below it was an inscription he couldn’t quite make out. He took out some papers from his back pocket and a graphite pencil to make several etchings. The camera crew wouldn’t be out until tomorrow, but in the meantime, he could take this etching to his tent and study it alongside his notebooks. Without the books, Gerald recognized the words “chaos”, “creation”, and “fruition”.**

XXXxxx

**Days passed with relative ease. Gerald was no closer to an answer than he was before. He’s traded his explorer’s garb for the familiarity of his lab coat. Archeology has been a very fruitful pastime, but now he must provide results in order to keep the funding he procured. He twists his mustache in thought as he looks at the pictures of the mural, the markings on the wall, and he picks up his notebooks in order to start his translations.**

**A cup of coffee sits neglected as he works, the pages of a journal filling up with his ideas on what the symbols form. Hours pass as words on the page take shape and he takes off his glasses to rub at his tired eyes. The words to a prophecy linger, something he can prevent. He translates other inscriptions as well, believing these the answers to his dilemma.**

XXXxxx

Chuck empties his cup before grabbing the next journal in sequence. Gerald had certainly put a lot of energy into this project. He wondered what possessed him to do so, what grabbed his attention. So far, all he’d learned from the first journal and subsequent pictures was that this whole endeavor was based on an ancient mural. Chuck looked over the mural and the translations. Looked at what would happen if the right tools were used in combination with each other.

However, it seemed like Gerald had only a small inkling of the right idea and not the complete package. Chuck ran a hand through his graying hair and opened the next book. 

XXXxxx

**“No, that’s not quite right,” Gerald tossed another crinkled up paper to the floor beside the overflowing garbage can as he stood up from his worktable. It had been months since the excursion in the desert and he was no closer to an answer than before. He was close to nearing his first attempt, but something was missing. Something important. Either way, it was time he took a break. His granddaughter was coming for a visit and he didn’t want to be drowning in work.**

**Her doctor had explained to him the distressing news. Maria was ill, her disease would slowly kill her and the medical professionals were all very far away from finding a cure. Maria was an innocent; his very special girl, and he hoped that with his research he could cure her along with everyone else who had a disease life had struck them with. With a sigh, he closed up his notebook for the afternoon and rode the elevator up to the main floor.**

**Gerald thought that his banishment to the basement of the facility was fitting. He’d failed to produce anything of value in a while, focusing all of his time and effort on cracking the code. The answer still illuded him and he couldn’t fathom the reason why. A break would do him good.**

**“Good afternoon, Gerald,” the receptionist smiled, “you have a little visitor.”**

**He smiled as a little blond girl in a pink dress skipped to him, her blue eyes wide and curious. Yes, he would do this for her and every other parent in need. He would press on.**

XXXxxx

**A test tube smashed against the wall, the green contents sliding down to the floor. Another bioagent failure. How could he build this lifeform if he couldn’t figure out the signature? With a sigh, he fell back into the chair with a thump and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. Cloning and bioengineering were not his strong suits, so this would take time.**

**Gerald placed a fresh, clean schematic sheet on the table and began to sketch out his newest idea. In order to harness the energy, something would have to be built in order to take the overflow. It would be a stretch, but it would be doable. Time was of the essence. Maria’s condition seemed to get worse as time continued to pass.**

XXXxxx

Chuck rubbed his tired eyes as he picked up the folder that was noted in the journal margins. Folder B, schematic 16. The Biolizard. The page had been wrinkled and worn, several edits had been made to the design. It was certainly bulky and in no way viable if what he had been reading was any indication. A huge lizard with a life support system to hold excess chaos energy. Notes at the bottom continuously state how something wasn’t quite right, and he needed to consult the murals again.

The murals? As in more than one? Chuck was barely through the third journal and there were more murals than just the initial one. He took his own note to _find out more about the Biolizard_ and picked up the next journal to continue with the puzzle.

XXXxxx

**“I’m not certain about these symbols,” Gerald sighed as he looked over the next set of images. The next mural, depicting a very large creature, puzzled him.** **_Chaos_ ** **was the only word to describe it. A creature of pure energy, guardian of the** **_chao_ ** **. Chaos was not only a being but an energy source. But how to tap into it and use it. The stone tablets were unclear in this instance. The language something he hadn’t seen before and very few symbols matched his notes.**

**“There are two sides to Chaos, positive and negative. So, like a battery then?” He looked down at his schematic and pulled over another set of papers. “Maybe if I create them to harness the energy, I can transfer it?”**

**_Artificial Chaos_ ** **\- The schematic read. Gerald drew an apparatus to harness the energy and create something to make the transfer complete. An odd form started to take shape, a metal housing to hold chaos energy and feed it into the biochemical substrate. The energy would be harnessed as a battery and the fluid could form a sack like the creature depicted. It would be extremely rough, but this side step could help understand how the energy flowed freely into creatures of normal origins.**

XXXxxx

Chuck ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Artificial creatures now. Pictures of the stone tablets were strewn about. Notes upon notes written upon the backs of each photo. Rough translations to the texts and hard to read shorthand. Looking down at the schematic, he remembered seeing a few of these creatures on his way down to the lab. He didn’t ask questions, he had a feeling that GUN wouldn’t answer them. Sitting back in the chair with a groan, Chuck wondered why Gerald took this deal in the first place. 

He wondered if it was they shared a common goal. Looking at the artificial chaos designs, Chuck immediately dismissed them. For what he was trying to accomplish, this power source wouldn’t do. Looking at the clock, he realized Chris would be due at any moment. He was glad his grandson took an interest in the work he was about to undertake. It wasn’t easy to get him in, but he convinced GUN that having a fresh set of eyes of someone he trusted would be a good thing for this project.

Chuck pulled out another journal to read while he waited, maybe something else would prove useful.

XXXxxx

**Each trial was more disappointing than the last. He only had one emerald, and the energy it displaced didn’t seem to tolerate the vessel he built. Sure, the containment area held it but the chaos drive 1.0 was a waste. In order to assimilate the proper housing, he’d need to scale down the containment area and turn it into a portable drive. Running off his battery theory with a positive and negative pole, he started sketching chaos drive 1.5 on a separate page.**

**“The chamber should be glass, not polycarbonate,” he mumbled under his breath. “Maybe, using copper as the pole and putting in a …”**

**Gerald trailed off and continued running the diagram in his head. Several scratches and scribbles filled the margins. Equations took shape and a rough drawing of his finished product finally appeared on the page. Looking over at the artificial chaos vessel, the biofluid was ready to be inserted into the backport of the apparatus. Now, the chaos drive just needed to be completed for the first official test run.**

**The artificial chaos floated in a containment field beside the large life support system he’d built. He’d need so many of these chaos drives to fill the module. Over to the side was a tank filled with pale green fluid, a tiny organism growing within its glowing depths. A small lizard, only a few inches long taking shape. Gerald was happy for the success of the creature. Finally getting the formula right after so many failed attempts was a great accomplishment.**

**But it cost him a lot. It cost him a vacation, it cost him visits with his granddaughter. The weight started to bear down on his shoulders. Would this all be worth it in the end? Gerald’s aged hands picked up the picture, always set on his desk. The last picture was taken at least three years ago. Maria was no longer that spunky little child, she was growing fast and he was running out of time.**

**With a sigh, he placed the picture down and picked up his latest trial. Inserting the canister into the back of the artificial creature, he filled it with the biofluid and closed the port. A few moments later the drive started to hum and a green glow lit the surrounding area. He’d done it. It was now time to put the pieces together and wait.**

XXXxxx

Chuck picked up the last journal and set of papers. This last one was quite worn like it had been used again and again. He wondered what was in the folder first, however. Flipping a few pages forward, he saw faded photos of the Biolizard. It appeared to be inert, a failed experiment. The creature was lying in a pool of some liquid, closed eyes, and the heavy machinery on its back seemed to be weighing it down. The file after it, well it was a highly sanitized version of events but the last page seemed beneficial. 

It was a list of needed agents, energy sources, and bioagents to start the process. Reading through, Chuck decided to take two things from the list that he was certain were needed. The bioagent that held the chaos energy, and the chaos drives. With that, he opened the last journal and began to read. 

XXXxxx

**“It was all wrong, we had it wrong…”**

**Gerald sighed as he slumped into his chair. His tired body sagged into the plush surface. He was doomed to die here in this place. Such was the fate of GUN scientists who owed them. The last failed attempt and he finally realized what the key might be. GUN had already tasked him with finding a replacement, gave him a handful of dossiers to choose from. He’d read them all within a week and there was only one who seemed worthy enough to take it on.**

**But, he needed to leave a message. One that he was sure his replacement would follow. Two things were the key, two vitally important things. Gerald slumped over the notebook and wrote down one last key note:** **_Look to the mural. It was all wrong before, but the answer is right there…_ **

XXXxxx

Chuck blinked before rubbing his tired eyes. He pulled out the mural photos, the ones from the first journal, and saw the scene taking place. The answer that was in front of Gerald all along. The answer he had overlooked focused on solving the puzzle. Creating something that could harness the energy, the dream. 

**_A hedgehog …_ **


	2. Act 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Witness Shadow's 'birth' at the hands of the Thorndykes and follow him as he is befriended by a lonely child wandering the halls of GUN. But something much deeper is going on behind the scenes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Act 2 of the four part Shadow Conspiracy.

# Act 2

Credits-

**_Scenario: Titus Dunn, OnyxCrimsonBlur_ **

**_Writer: OnyxCrimsonBlur_ **

**_Revisions: Titus Dunn, OnyxCrimsonBlur_ **

**_Dialog Revisions: Titus Dunn_ **

  
  
  


_Some things never change_. Chris thought as he walked into the lab to see it in utter disarray. Where he was orderly and organized, his grandfather was like a tornado. Papers were scattered everywhere, empty coffee mugs lined the corners. He ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair and sighed. Truthfully, he questioned why he decided to take this job. Sure, he was just as interested in Gerald’s research as Chuck, but working with someone who was on the opposite side of the spectrum from him could be jarring. He was going to have his work cut out for him.

It seemed like Chuck had been up all night again, working away on calculations and drawings. There was a half-finished schematic setting on the workbench beside him. It definitely looked workable, all the calculations were there, but the actual execution of the formulas were missing. This was a common pattern when they were working together before. Chuck was often scatter-brained when it came to the application of topics, but he had the decency to take very detailed notes beforehand. 

That’s where Chris came in. He enjoyed this aspect and hated it at the same time. He flipped through the pages of his grandfather’s notebook and started connecting the dots. Chris finished the applications and completed the drawings for the schematic. 

**_Project Shadow_ **

“There you are, Chris! It’s about time you showed up. I’m on the verge of a breakthrough, and I figured you’d want to witness it,” Chuck said as he wiped some grease off his hands and set the towel down next to the papers. 

“Be careful!” Chris exclaimed. He breathed a sigh of relief when Chuck narrowly avoided making a mess of his work. “I just finished those, and I’d prefer if you read them instead of mucking them up.”

“Oh. Of course, of course. Cleanliness and all that,” Chuck dismissed with a wave of his hand. He blinked before pulling his glasses down, quickly scanning them over, ”great work, Chris. For someone of your experience, that is.”

His grandson rolled his eyes before scanning his attire. Of course, Chuck decided to forego the GUN-issued uniform and showed up in a worn t-shirt and jeans. The only thing he bothered wearing that GUN provided was a white lab coat. He shook his head.

“You know, one of these days, someone at GUN is going to take issue with your wardrobe. You can’t just shamble around the place in your household outfit. Not to mention how rugged those pants look. When was the last time you got new clothes, anyway?”

Chuck rolled his eyes this time. He couldn’t be bothered with GUN’s mandated attire when there’s work to be done. Perish the thought of coming to work without the intention of comfort. He works in a lab, not on the field of combat, so he should be able to wear whatever he wants, right?

“I’m an important asset hand-picked from a lineup of top-level candidates. I hardly think they care what I wear, and if they cared they wouldn’t do anything about it, anyway. No need to give an old man grief for wanting to be comfortable in his golden years.”

“Whatever,” Chris mumbled as he looked over some more of Chuck’s plans and schematics. He spied an early prototype for the containment area. One of Chuck’s many botched attempts because he rushed ahead of schedule without the necessary steps and didn’t consult Chris.

“We’re definitely going to finish the containment area today,” Chuck stated enthusiastically. He smiled before walking towards the back of the lab. He was always confident that today would be the day of his new horizon. He thought he was destined to succeed. It wasn't by luck he was chosen for his position, after all.

“Did you even finish the bioagent synthesis?” Chris inquired with a flatness to his tone that could put a flatlining heart monitor to shame. 

His grandfather had the audacity to look sheepish.

“Um… I wouldn’t call it ‘finished’,” Chuck hesitated, stuttering a bit, ”it’s in its late stages of development! I’ve been focused on-”

“Grandpa, you’re so scatterbrained,” his grandson huffed in exasperation as he walked over to the test tube rack, “I’m amazed you got your degree.”

“It’s mostly complete,” Chuck attempted to reassure him.

“What is? The bioagent synthesis or your degree?” Chris sighed, sarcasm thick in his question.

“I plead the 5th on that,” Chuck retorted with a small scowl.

“‘Mostly’ doesn’t cut it,” he lamented with a sigh before placing the test tube in the cycling machine. “Without this, Chuck. Without _this,_ the project will be stalled completely! We need the proper vessel. Are you sure this is the right animal? I could understand something strong like a bear or smart like a dolphin, but why a hedgehog?”

“According to all of Gerald’s notes, journals, and the actual murals themselves, this seems to be the most viable option for a vessel,” his grandfather explained as he picked up a loose stack of papers next to the machine. “If we use the hedgehog as an anchor, the proper biomaterial energy receptor, the ‘wish’, should take.”

“Where did GUN get the Chaos Emeralds anyway?” Chris quired with a raised eyebrow. “I thought they were a myth. Fairy tales, like the sword in the stone or the djinn?”

“They just dropped them off. I don’t ask questions, not that they’d care to answer them, anyway. I assume it was from one of Gerald’s archeology projects. Don’t bother asking questions I can’t answer, please,” Chuck sighed, even more dismissive than before. The beep of the machine a welcome distraction signaling the sequence was complete.

He opened the containment area, the resounding ‘hiss’ signaling the breaking of the seal. With gloved fingers, he gently eased the test tube from the machine and walked it over to the containment tank. Entering a passcode, a small slot opened and he placed the glass tube inside the slot. The glass softly tinked against the edges as it slid into place, the stopper nudging against the locking pin before a soft ‘click’ could be heard. 

Chuck pressed the “Close” button and the slot slid shut with a resounding _CLACK_ before the machine powered on. The large plexiglass tank started to fill with a green liquid, its internal temperature rising slowly until the tank was full ensuring that the fluid was evenly heated to the ideal temperature for the bioagent to form.

“This liquid has everything our hedgehog will need to form,” Chuck remarked with a confident smile before pressing more buttons on the console. “Germination will take about a week. In the meantime, we need to set up the Chaos Drive Transfer Machine.”

Loud alarms sounded before several mechanical arms started to perform pre-programmed actions inside the tank. A bio sack was injected with the DNA material, the sack akin to the embryonic sac in the womb. In real-time, they could see cells starting to divide and start to form a creature before their very eyes. 

“He will be about three months in four hours,” Chuck explained as he walked away from the tank, “but for now, there’s really nothing for us to do.”

“Where are the schematics for the new machine?” Chris asked as he walked towards the workbench.

His grandfather shifted some papers around and pulled out the half-completed schematic. With a sigh, Chris sat down and pulled over another one of his grandfather’s notebooks and got to work. This was going to be a long day.

XXXxxx

Chris wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand as he finished another weld. The heavy helmet didn’t help matters, but he had to wear it if he didn’t want to go blind from the flashes of the welder. _“Shadow”_ , the hedgehog vessel, was almost ready to be placed into the Chaos Drive Transfer Machine. The week had been long, challenging, and somewhat stalled by irritation. What his grandfather lacked in organization, he made up for in brilliance. Putting everything into a cohesive thought just made Chris’ involvement a necessity if anything were to be done by the next decade, at least in his eyes. Chris accepted his role in this and just hoped that GUN were going to be happy with the results. 

“Why don’t you take five, kiddo? You’ve been at this for awhile, and exhaustion never did me any good,” his grandfather remarked, stepping up beside him with a bottle of water in hand. 

“Good idea,” he accepted the drink gratefully, “thanks.”

Cracking the top, he drained over half the bottle as he walked towards the holding tank. The hedgehog floated inside the nutrient soup, his black fur slicked down, the red stripes of his quills dull, muzzle pale. Their whole livelihoods rested on this experiment being a success. GUN didn’t play games and he hoped _“Shadow”_ would be what they were looking for. The last piece of the puzzle Gerald wanted to grasp so badly during his life. 

Chris turned back to the worktable schematics and looked down at the scattered pages of Gerald’s research. They were using parts of the scrapped Biolizard support system, the Artificial Chaos, and the full Chaos Drives wrapped into something that resembled the Emerald Altar from the murals. It was crazy but genius at the same time. This machine setup would allow the power to focus centrally on _“Shadow”,_ setting in the middle. Hopefully, the theory would be correct. 

“Just a few more hours my boy. Let’s ready the machine!” 

XXXxxx

Chuck watched as the tank drained out and Shadow was eased onto a mobile table. His fur was matted with the biofluid, his quills limp and dull. Chuck rolled the cart slowly towards the finished machine. Chris helped him move the hedgehog to the metal chair, gently placing the straps around his arms and legs to keep him in place. From there, the machine hummed to life, and Chris dragged over the box the Chaos Emeralds were contained in.

Each emerald was placed on a pedestal atop a Chaos Drive. Inherently, the drives were neutral, amplifying the emeralds which sent the charged Chaos Gel toward Shadow. After the last emerald was placed on its pedestal, Chuck stepped forward and placed his hands atop the emerald closest to him. The red glow illuminated the dimly lit room and he closed his eyes. Concentrating, he made his wish and slowly stepped back. 

The machine hummed, each tube underneath the Emeralds opening and the Chaos Gel running down the tubes to engulf the hedgehog at the center. Electricity crackled in a rainbow of colors,the swirling echoes of power and a bright flash of light. As the light faded, Chuck opened his eyes to see two ruby red ones staring back at him. The cream color of his fur faded back to black. Red tipped quills glowed softly against the dark backdrop. 

They had done it, Shadow lived. Gerald’s research had led to this. The culmination of a lifetime of searching, of failures, of study. Shadow stared at both of them, motionless, curious. Chuck wondered if he could talk. But he didn’t get the chance to find out. Immediately the huge door opened and GUN soldiers rushed in. Shadow was whisked away, the machine destroyed and all of this research taken. In a whirlwind, it was all gone with the slamming of the door. 

Chuck dropped to his knees in front of his broken machine as Chris placed a hand on his shoulder. Ruined. 

“You knew this was a possibility when you signed up with GUN; we both knew. I’m sorry, grandpa.” 

Chuck didn’t respond. He simply stood up and walked to his quarters in the back of the lab. He needed time to himself to think. Chris breathed a sigh of disappointment. This _was_ the expected outcome, but that didn’t mean he didn’t sympathize with his grandpa. He turned in the other direction and got back to work.

XXXxxx

Another day passed of testing, needle-prodding, and just general discomfort. Maria hated testing day. Every Tuesday without fail, the lab techs in charge of her cure would come in to take samples. When they left, she’d be sore and feel like a human pin cushion. Late nights, alone with her thoughts, caused her to wander the base. It was here she remembered the old spot she would go to when she was younger, the quiet place she’d retreat to when her grandfather was too busy. 

Maria was still a curious girl; that hadn’t changed from her early childhood. GUN had taken her on, saying they could cure her as a promise to her late grandfather. They increased her life expectancy by many years, but something new was going on. She was sure they knew of her nightly trips around GUN HQ. Yet, they never said a word about them or attempted to stop her. Blue eyes scanned the hall, watching for guards as she went to her “secret place”: An old abandoned lab in a long-forgotten hallway, one that used to be sealed off. She could just fit in the space hidden behind a soda machine. 

Keeping an eye out for GUN soldiers that might take her back, she slowly made her way towards the mostly abandoned hallway. Behind the soda machine, there was a space where a door used to be. It was mostly sealed, but the space was big enough for her to slip through. As she crossed the threshold into the long-forgotten lab in the dim light, she realized someone else was there: A slight red glow surrounded the figure, a hedgehog with fur black as night and eyes sparkling like the reddest rubies. Crimson dipped quills turned upward, the red causing the soft glow almost like bioluminescence. 

The figure uncrossed his arms from across his chest to reveal a white tuft of chest hair, appearing soft and fluffy. Maria swallowed softly, eyes never leaving his as she slowly walked forward. 

“Hello,” she whispered, afraid to spook him. 

He blinked once, as if in response, and she approached the chair adjacent to where he sat. 

“I’m Maria, what’s your name?”

“They call me ‘Shadow’.” 

Those were the only words he spoke to her as she rambled on about her day, what the scientists were doing to her, and why she was there. The whole time his red eyes followed her movements, his foot tapping a little bit, body tight with tension as if he could bolt at any moment. Their subsequent meetings were a little bit better, as Shadow realized she meant him no harm; that her actions were genuine, pure, and without guile or malice. 

With this realization, on later visits he opened up to her more and spoke about how he came to be, or what he knew about it. He was ‘born’ here and from his first breath, he’d worked for GUN. He knew nothing else, and anything he understood about the world was only through the missions he was sent on. He was curious, but they didn’t feed into his need to learn.

They’d formed a bond then, one of mutual respect and understanding. Both were bound to a place that was using them, but they couldn’t yet leave, albeit for different reasons. She told him what she knew, brought him books on any subject he wanted, and in return he would bring her back items of her request, souvenirs she’d asked for since she couldn’t leave the base. A taste of the outside world. Tonight was one such night. 

“Hi.” She broke the silence and took her seat. 

He nodded in greeting and handed her a small bag. Inside was a snow globe, the little island figure inside dancing amid a sea of sparkly glitter. She smiled and placed it back in the bag so it wouldn’t get broken. 

“Thank you.” 

“Of course,” he leaned back in his chair and sighed. “How are they treating you?”

“The same as ever,” she replied, rubbing softly at her arm. The new suit they had given her was a little on the tight side, but it monitored her vitals and dispensed the new medication they were trying out on her. Maria watched his nose twitch as he sniffed the air around them, his lip curling.

“More painkillers?” Shadow stood and walked towards her, his hands gently taking her arm and moving up the sleeve. Needle scars lined the surface, each pockmark a testament to her torture. Shadow’s brows lowered into a scowl with the realization that they weren’t trying to cure her as they had insisted. She deteriorated every day, even more so in the last few months. 

“Yes, and another experiment.” 

“How long has it been?” 

“Too long. At least a few years now,” Maria looked down at his hand on her arm, the soft fabric of his glove tracing the line of scars towards her hand. 

“Unacceptable,” he let her arm go and walked back over to his chair, “I’ve seen the experiments they work on. All expendable. If they were going to cure you, they would have by now.” 

“I’m beginning to think the same thing. There’s something they’re not telling me,” she shrugged. 

“They think I’m blind to what’s going on here,” Shadow sighed as he looked down at his hands, “these missions I go on... I know there’s more to it all, but I go because I know of nothing else.” 

“GUN has always been good at keeping secrets; it’s what they do,” Maria stood and walked forward, she placed a hand on his muzzle. “I have faith that something good will happen. Why else would you be here if not?”

XXXxxx

Shadow started to see less and less of Maria as the months passed. Every time he saw her, she looked more pale, sallow, and sickly. It seemed as though her illness was overturning what remained of her immune system. After the third time she missed their meeting upon his return from a mission, he decided to go in search of where Project Maria was being conducted. The wing dedicated to medical smelt heavily of industrial cleaners and soiled dressings. 

He’d been around her long enough to pick out the scent of her treatment among all the other smells. Looking up at the numbered signs on the door, he stopped in front of one that carried a heavy wave of sickness, and Maria: _PM24786_. The door creaked open loudly in the silence, the only other noise was the soft cadence of the heart monitor. Maria’s blonde hair cascaded against the white pillow beneath her head. Her forehead was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and she appeared to struggle to breathe. She was ashen, and the bed looked far too big for her small frame.

Shadow’s eyes widened in horrified shock at the sight for a moment, his fist clenching. GUN was doing barely anything to keep her alive, let alone cure her. It appeared they were just trying to make her comfortable as she rode out the disease that would soon take her life. Questions continued to fill his mind about what his purpose was, especially as he looked at his only friend in this cruel world he’d been brought into. 

“Hi … Shadow,” she smiled tiredly, voice light. 

“What have they done?” He sat next to her, taking her clammy hand in his own. “Correction, what haven’t they done?”

“It’s okay,” her blue eyes softened, tears collecting in the corners. “I’ve known for a long time that it would end like this.” 

“It shouldn’t have to,” his red eyes scanned the multiple IV bags on the stand, all delivering a series of pain meds and a useless cocktail of drugs that were doing nothing. “This project they named after you was nothing but a facade.” 

“Maybe, but at least I felt close to my grandfather one last time,” she smiled. “There’s something I want to give you. Something that’s important to me.” 

Maria lifted herself up, her shaky hands reaching behind her neck to unclasp the chain of the necklace she always wore. Holding out her hand, Shadow placed his in hers as she dropped her locket in it, closing his fingers around the warmed metal. 

“Grandpa Gerald gave this to me. It’s not a coincidence we met, or that I’m giving this to you now,” she wheezed softly. “You are the product of his research, something to benefit mankind. GUN thinks I’m stupid, just a kid, but I’m not blind.”

“Gerald?” Shadow’s eyes widened and shifted away for a moment to think about the name mentioned. “Gerald Robotnik?”

“Yes. I think grandpa would’ve been happy to see you.”

He remembered seeing a picture of the man, the one who revolutionized GUN technologies in weapons, medical equipment, and advances in archeological research. Gerald was her grandfather? Why did he not know this before?

“I also have something to ask you, something important,” She placed a hand on the side of his muzzle, her skin cool to the touch. 

“Anything, Maria.” 

“Promise me, no matter what happens, that you’ll protect humanity. It’s your reason for existing, I know that, I believe that,” she gasped. “Everything you need to know is in that locket. Everything GUN has kept from you.”

“Maria …”

“Go, Shadow.” A tear trailed down her cheek. “It’s okay.”

XXXxxx

Shadow stood outside, underneath an awning, as the rain continued to soak the ground around him. He gripped the necklace in his fist before stuffing it in the small pocket in his glove. On the bench beside him were Maria’s ashes in an onyx box. GUN didn’t even give her a funeral or even a proper burial. He would do what they wouldn’t despite their objections. Her memory should be honored, so Shadow braved the long flight alone to the one place she wanted to go, one of the places she’d wanted a souvenir from. A city that made her eyes twinkle in happiness.

Maria loved art and she had always talked about Spagonia, her hands animated as she showed him books with pictures of the city streets, the art galleries, the quaint buildings. He could see why; it was a beautiful place. He remembered the look of joy on her face as he pulled out a small painting of the city from a gift shop bag. A tear trailed down his cheek as he looked out at the clearing clouds. The sun was just beginning to set and he now had his chance. Lifting the box gently in his hands, he walked down the length of the beach to the water. The box felt heavy in his grip, the weight of not just her but of the emotions he felt as he held her hand while she slipped away. 

The weight of her blue eyes closing for the last time, of her smile as she took her final breath. She had changed him, for the better. Maria was full of warmth and light. Someone so innocent didn’t deserve the fate she had been dealt with. He lifted the lid and gently tilted the box towards the incoming tide, every single memory they shared passing before his eyes. When she brought him books to read, shared her favorite memories of childhood, her bright spirit and laughter. He was certain Maria brought joy to everyone she touched with her beautiful personality.

“I promise you, Maria,” he softly spoke as her ashes took to the wind, “I will protect those in need and give the people of this world a chance to be happy.”


	3. Act 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One mad doctor, one mans past research.   
> It's all coming together.

##  Credits

Scenario: Titus Dunn

Writing: Titus Dunn

Revisions: Titus Dunn, OnyxCrimsonBlur

It had been a long and restless week for Chuck Thorndyke. The anniversary of the completion of his assigned research in relation to Shadow The Hedgehog and the subsequent destruction of all evidence in association was coming up quickly, and he was hardly in the mood to celebrate it. After all, yesterday's events were still on his mind. Something truly unexpected had occurred, but considering who it involved he couldn’t be shocked at the scrambled chaos that ensued...

XXXxxx

**Far away from Area 99, Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik, the so-called “greatest scientific genius in the world", schemes and ponders inside his floating fortress, the Aerobase. He had once again failed to defeat his archnemesis and personal pain in his posterior, Sonic The Hedgehog. He grumbled to himself, contemplating the reasoning behind his failures. It was fairly obvious; his machines were simply not up to par.**

**Built to keep him company after his no-good nephew left him for parts unknown, robotic servants Orbot and Cubot discuss amongst themselves while their creator seethes and considers his potential options. Orbot, ever the more observant of the two, notices Eggman’s less-than-flowery disposition.**

**“The boss is in another one of his moods, it seems,” Orbot remarked as he dusted down some equipment. His round head jostled to and fro at the beat of his own drum, albeit in a rather robotic fashion.**

**“Which mood? The ‘I have a brilliant scheme’ mood or the ‘my brilliant scheme failed’ mood?” Cubot tilted his head in curiosity, doing his best impression of the doctor. He was the dimmer bulb of the two of them. His square head looked too heavy to be tilting in that particular angle. Dr. Eggman simply grumbles in aggravation as he types a few miscellaneous commands and views his database of ever-growing information, specifically with an emphasis on current events. It was in the news, the announcement of his most recent failure.**

**_“This is Breezie, with Nations-Wide Network.”_ ** **The news anchor smiled, her green curls gently bouncing in the wind. Her iconic blue suit had a slight sparkly sheen in the sun.** **_“I’m live with Sonic The Hedgehog, the hero heralding from South Island and the reason we can keep calling our home ‘Planet Freedom’ in the midst of a seemingly endless struggle. Sonic, how does it feel to once again defeat the dastardly deeds of Dr. Eggman?”_ ** **Breezie leans the mic up to Sonic for a response.**

**_“Well, Breezie, I’d say it was another typical Sonic Tuesday!”_ ** **Sonic winked to the camera with a wide, cocky grin. Ivo hated that grin. He muted the volume before Sonic could gloat further about his “achievement”. Just because you beat someone every Tuesday doesn’t mean you have some special grounds to celebrate constantly, right? Eggman was a sore loser, but he’d be back next Tuesday with yet another brilliant plan! Soon, “Sonic Tuesday” will be “Eggman Every Day”!**

**For now, he slumped in his chair, still in a grumbling mood. His fingers twinning in his mustache, the orange-red strands frizzing in his ire. The scientist was still not used to these constant setbacks. He found it unsettling, to say the least. What was it? 48, 49 weeks of failure? Why bother even counting at this point? His melancholy mood was interrupted when an image of Professor Gerald Robotnik, his late grandfather, came on the screen; this caused him to immediately unmute the volume.**

**_“...recently learned that the research of the late Professor Gerald Robotnik will be moved to Area 99, a now-defunct laboratory used as a government-approved tourist attraction. This was quoted by Commander Abraham Tower as being ‘a donation on behalf of GUN’s research department for the purposes of education and fulfillment of our citizens’. Area 99 will be reopened to the public this Saturday.”_ **

**A devious smile crept onto the doctor’s face that soon formed into a giddy grin. He knew of the intelligence of his grandfather, and he also knew just how deceptive and underhanded GUN was. It didn’t take 300 IQ, which he so proudly boasted, to understand the undeniable fact that Area 99’s “no-defunct” state was a cover-up for more secretive research, and his grandfather’s research was returning to the scene of the crime. There’s no way they didn’t use Gerald’s intellect for brilliant projects used for possibly totalitarian purposes he can steal away for his own totalitarian purposes!**

**_Jackpot!_ **

**“Orbot! Cubot!” the reinvigorated genius bellowed out, “prepare my Egg-o-Walker and the Scrambler for a field trip! A** **_science_ ** **field trip!”**

**“You got it, boss,” Orbot saluted and started to make his way towards the door, halting for a moment and looking back to see his compatriot not following.**

**“Will we learn about cold fusion?” Cubot said with curiosity.**

**“No, but you will learn to do as I tell you.” Eggman pointed towards the door with gusto, a look of impatience visible behind his blue spectacles as the bot continued to stare at him. “Now!”**

**Cubot was about to respond before Orbot gripped him by his thin, cylindrical torso and dragged him along as they hovered above the ground. Eggman pinched the bridge of his nose.**

**“I’d scrap him, but the excuse to yell is cathartic when I don’t have Snively around in his place...”**

XXXxxx

Chuck was writing down some more notes. GUN doesn’t give their workers many days of reprieve, not even after an Eggman assault. It wasn’t as if he didn’t expect this, and it wasn’t that he was sour because things needed to be back to basics so quickly. He understood entirely that government work was a machine and that every day was simply another potential test of someone’s mettle. He and his grandson knew all too well both the mundanity and the excitement of government work.

XXXxxx

**Area 99 was on high alert. There was no time for a debriefing, as Dr. Eggman’s Aerobase was already on the approach. Luckily for them, the Aerobase had no form of cloaking device. Dr. Eggman was a show-off through-and-through, and that often gave GUN an ample advantage in terms of a surface-level understanding of the threat they were facing. Dr. Eggman’s machines were also sometimes maddeningly unpredictable, so applying rudimentary logic to his machinations was pointless.**

**“Grandpa, everyone is evacuated on the public levels. I’m assuming they’ll be calling for us soon enough?” Chris asked with the slightest hint of worry in his voice. GUN was unpredictable, and they also warned against leaving your position unless directly stated to do so, so Chris was evaluating the** **_realistic_ ** **chances GUN would call for those not publicly accounted for to be evacuated.**

**“I wouldn’t hold your breath, Chris. GUN has let out everyone the public is aware of. That leaves us as wild cards. We can’t exactly fight Eggman’s army with what we have, at least not without breaking confidentiality agreements involving the experimental weapons wing…”**

**“We have an experimental weapons wing?!” Chris exclaimed in confused shock. He was less surprised by GUN having a wing for experimental weapons, and more so that Chuck failed to tell him since they’d been working together at GUN for almost a full year. This led him to assume GUN had its own set of confidentiality for every level of worker based on the duties they’re assigned.**

**“Shoot,” Chuck said, putting his palm on his forehead and giving a nervous and shaky grin. He clearly regretted opening his mouth. “You did** **_not_ ** **hear that from me, got it?”**

**“Disregarding that tidbit, what’s the plan? Wait for Sonic to show up and save the day?” Chris groans in disbelief.**

**“Probably. They aren’t going to send Shadow, given the fact… well…”**

**“Yeah, I know. Us. They won’t be able to hide our involvement in his creation from him or the world forever. The bubble’s going to burst, like with all their secrets,” Chris stated with indignation. Over the months he and Chuck had worked with GUN, he had slowly been losing his composure and professionalism towards them, at least in private. Chris’ vitriol towards their behavior only grew; sure, his grandfather did things he couldn’t stand sometimes, but he wasn’t pretentious, secretive, and overly paranoid. Chuck simply nods in response, anticipating the worst.**

XXXxxx

Chuck was at a mental roadblock in his work, and he wasn’t entirely oblivious to the reasons why. His crowning achievement being whisked away was still weighing heavy on his thoughts. This only truly served to frustrate instead of motivate. After all, what’s stopping GUN from taking away  _ another  _ project without even consulting him? His interest was often grounded in discovery, and discovery was not worth it unless you pursued its mysteries further. He hardly knew a thing about Shadow in spite of his connection to his very creation.

A second, more personal feeling nagged him in the back of his head: The feeling of guilt. He knew being under GUN was risky business, but he was willing to take that risk for sake of status, achievement, and discovery. He had no idea just how foolish it was to, not just expect, but encourage his grandson to join him on this escapade. This didn’t truly dawn on him until the attack on Area 99 and their too-close-for-comfort encounter with the mad doctor himself.

XXXxxx

**Dr. Eggman was at the helm of the Aerobase and ready to launch an assault on Area 99. GUN had minimal defensive measures in the immediate vicinity for sake of not arousing suspicion on a seemingly defunct laboratory, but it would cost them greatly when the Badniks began their skirmish with the few actual soldiers stationed. Dr. Eggman’s metallic minions were not easily penetrated by traditional weaponry.**

**“The Buzz Bomber swarm appears to be in formation 49B. Do we have the resources available to effectively counter it?” a hawk GUN soldier questions over the intercoms.**

**“Negative,” was the blunt answer. They would have to wait for more resources or Sonic to appear and depending on where Sonic was the damage may be unavoidable. The real conundrum for GUN was their lack of knowledge on what Dr. Eggman was specifically after. They thought they had kept the lower levels of the facilities tightly under wraps, so it was a mad scramble to determine his motivations, while Chris and Chuck had already thought of the potential ones.**

XXXxxx

**“Do you think he may be after the recently-delivered research related to Gerald Robotnik? The research that has not yet been sanitized?” Chris rubbed his chin. He remembered hearing a briefing pertaining to Dr. Eggman that included many names he used as aliases. “Dr. Eggman” was his most common moniker, but he also went by “Ivo Robotnik” and more uncommonly “Julian Robotnik”. He had shared this information with Chuck at one point or another in passing, and they disregarded the aliases as him riding off of the name of a world-renowned scientist.**

**“I’m unsure, Chris. I wouldn’t make assumptions, but he claims to be related to the man. It’s no secret he’s a bit off his rocker, so I wouldn’t exactly write off the possibility of him being crazy enough to pursue it. Probably thinks of it as some birthright, I don’t know,” Chuck tapped his desk a bit. The facility had been put under a rigorous lockdown at this point, but that would hardly stop Dr. Eggman.**

XXXxxx

**Eggman had driven off the GUN soldiers with an increasingly overwhelming amount of troops outside. The man wasn’t above killing, but he wasn’t going to waste resources pursuing cowards. A gleeful grin appeared on his face as he entered on his bipedal mech, the Egg-o-Walker. The fools had put a portion of the mainframe for the facility on the ground floor.**

**He used his Scrambler, a weapon that could burn through and melt steel with ease, on the door leading to the computer system. He was sure to put the setting on low so he wouldn’t fry the equipment inside; that would just make things inconvenient for him. He walked his mech inside and plugged in, using an advanced algorithm to break through their system and negate the lockdown protocol.**

**“This is like taking candy from a baby! I need to be quick, though. Sonic will arrive any minute, and I didn’t bring the best of my forces in my haste. Now, where to find my dearly-departed grandfather’s research?” he pondered aloud as he checked through the facilities contents. He wasn’t at all surprised at the number of sublevels to the building. His eyes widened in shock at the revelation that his grandfather’s research was being tampered with.**

**“Those absolutely incompetent ignoramuses! They aren’t sanitizing! They’re** **_vandalizing!_ ** **Leave it to the government to completely miss the value in what they have! Well, I guess it’s Dr. Eggman to the rescue!” he exclaimed with a vigorous point to the melted door. It was time to invade the deeper floors; there wasn’t a single moment to lose.**

XXXxxx

**Chris and Chuck had noticed the lockdown’s breach, as the doors were now open. This left Chuck with an idea. He gripped Chris by the hand and started dragging him along. Chris didn’t even need to ask him what he was pursuing, but figured he’d make conversation as they started to make their way down the hall; not before shaking out of his grandfather’s grip, though.**

**“So... we’re getting the Gerald Robotnik research, aren’t we?” His tone was one of precaution and slight frustration, his face creasing into a frown. He knew his grandfather was reckless, but he didn’t take him to be as crazy as Eggman. “Why can’t we** **_avoid_ ** **the crazy global terrorist bent on the destruction of our way of life for the sake of amusement parks? I figured that’d be a somewhat viable option given what we deduced!”**

**“Pah! Think about it, Chris. If he’s after Gerald’s research, that means he’s interested in using it! Imagine what Dr. Eggman could do with it. Not only that,** **_my additions_ ** **to it are there, the way we created** **_Shadow!_ ** **We don’t know much about him, but we know he’s GUN’s top operative and is slowly becoming their pseudo-mascot. If Eggman got his hands on that kind of power, potentially en mass...”**

**Chuck trailed off as he considered the variables and consequences of his actions. Perhaps he was beginning to regret tampering with magical rocks in an attempt to completely redefine the limits of what we call “life” for sake of “discovery”. He wasn’t a believer in “ignorance is bliss”, but more along the lines of leaving well enough alone. That was something he was very familiar with, thanks in no small part to his grandson.**

**Chris was silent at this point. His grandfather made some extremely compelling points, and he was shocked at just how aware Chuck was of the consequences of letting his research fall into the wrong hands. Chris didn’t really attribute that additional perceptiveness to himself, but he had noticed that Chuck was rounding out his rough edges little by little the more Chris involved himself in Chuck’s work. Seems like you can teach an old dog new tricks; you just can’t get him to dress professionally.**

**“Blast it. I can’t remember where they hid the research away. This entire facility looks the same around every corner! Could they have at least set up some decor to make things more distinct? Frankly, I’m disappointed in the utter lack of style on display,” Chuck looked around a bit frantically as he moved.**

**“You say that given your clothing choices…” Chris trailed off and his grandfather just gave him a look which said,** **_cool it._ **

**After a few more hallways of running, Chris spoke up, “How would you even know where they hid away his research? How do you know it’s on our floor? Wouldn’t they have kept it undisclosed from us? ‘Us’ referring to-”**

**“Everyone that isn’t supposed to know, I know. I may or may not have done some covert work of my own to make sure I knew where the research was. ‘Covert’ being a generous descriptor, I’ll admit,” Chuck glanced back at Chris momentarily then concentrated in an attempt to jog his memory. This situation was far too stressful, not to mention how quiet everything had gotten since the lockdown protocol had been shut down.**

**“Why would you-? Wait... you were going to steal the research in any case, weren’t you?” Chris looked at his grandfather with a tinge of shock, but he couldn’t exactly be too surprised, right?**

**“Yes, I was. Can you blame me?” Chuck said with a hint of bitterness. Bitterness and resentment not aimed towards Chris but squarely towards GUN. Chris looked at his grandfather with a face that expressed all of his feelings and none of them. Disappointment, concern, shock, sympathy? There were so many ways to view this revelation. He breathed in and out softly and thought back to how devastated Chuck was when his lab was wrecked and Shadow was taken from him before they could even have a conversation.**

**“No, grandpa. I don’t blame you at all,” he responded flatly. After a moment of silence, they continued their pursuit of the research. They had no idea how soon Eggman would be arriving, so they sped up and kept on looking. Chuck wasn’t remembering where they put it, rather where they didn’t. It was an arduous process of elimination for him. Eventually, it would work, but they didn’t have “eventually”, now did they? No, this was far too urgent.**

**An elevator door soon opened within earshot, and a panicked look stretched on both of their faces as they looked into each other's eyes with an increasing sense of pandemonium inside them. They both thought only one thing at that moment: Dr. Eggman had arrived. Chuck silently and swiftly wandered the halls, attempting to avoid the sound of the Egg-o-Walker’s clanging on the ground, Chris following close behind. Chris was nimble and had some rudimentary martial arts skills, but Dr. Eggman had weaponry that outclassed anything GUN ever created.**

**Soon, Chuck, on a whim, entered a large room lined with dozens of file cabinets. Chuck’s eyes widened with both a sense of glee and urgency. This was it! This was the room! What a stroke of luck. However, there wasn’t any time to celebrate. He silently nodded to Chris and motioned him to move forward; the two scientists would begin to search high and low for the research. Dr. Eggman was scouring the halls as they scoured the cabinets, but he had heard a door opening up and then closing with a** **_CLANG_ ** **.**

**“Curiouser and curiouser,” Eggman mused as he went towards the sound. He knew how GUN’s facilities worked. When an emergency protocol that led to a lockdown had been either resolved or forced to shut down, the doors would all open in a sequence then close again afterward, and things would continue as normal from that point until the next emergency lockdown. It was obvious to him that someone was now wandering the facility, and he wasn’t going to take the chance that they were after his goal.**

**Chris waved his hand towards Chuck and tapped his foot on the ground to make a subtle noise on the metallic floor. Chuck’s attention diverted to the cabinet Chris had just opened. There it was: Gerald Robotnik’s Biolizard research, ancient manuscripts, and the research on Shadow The Hedgehog. It appeared as though it had yet to be sanitized.**

**“Good,” Chuck whispered, “now we destroy it and not let it fall into the hands of that maniac. With Shadow already alive, there’s no need for it to exist anymore, not with the risks involved with Eggman.” Suddenly, the doors to the room opened, and in came Dr. Eggman, inside his giant mech, weapon at the ready. He points it at Chris and Chuck, a look of menacing disapproval on his face. He used his spectacles to get a close-up view of the files they were pilfering.**

**“I would do you and your little friend here a favor and step away from that research. I’d fry you both, but I’d prefer to avoid collateral damage. My grandfather’s research doesn’t deserve to be burned by my hand or anyone else’s.” Chris looked at the doctor with contempt. He was absolutely, positively fed up with this entire thing. While he could remain composed, he certainly wasn’t going to avoid speaking his mind.**

**“Do you honestly expect us to believe someone as maniacal and downright** **_insane_ ** **as you could possibly be the grandson of Gerald Robotnik? Someone so high-profile probably would have publicly acknowledged you at some point! You’re a terrorist and a crackpot,** **_not_ ** **a-”**

**_BWOOOOM!!_ **

**Dr. Eggman fired upon some miscellaneous file cabinets in the room, melting them and turning the files to ash. He did not appreciate the lack of reverence this know-nothing, do-gooding government henchman had for him, and he certainly didn’t appreciate the doubt he had about his relation to Gerald Robotnik, the only person Ivo ever respected.**

**“You can continue your insults if you want, but it’ll probably** **_cost you_ ** **. Now, give me the research before I scramble the both of you out of frustration!” Chris and Chuck looked at the destruction of the file cabinets. Sure, they’d certainly seen worse damage at the hands of Dr. Eggman over the months, but there was something about witnessing such damage with such ease up close that really gave you a sense of fear-born paralysis.**

**“Do as he says, Chis. It’s not worth it,” Chuck looked at Chris with an expression of fear and sadness. They failed to keep the research away from Eggman, and while Chuck would gladly die with it if it meant the research could die along with him, he and Eggman could see eye-to-eye on one thing: They both wanted to avoid collateral. Chuck grabbed his own research on Shadow, research not explicitly marked as under Gerald’s umbrella of endeavors but rather a continuation in the hopes that Dr. Eggman would simply take Gerald’s direct contributions to GUN.**

**“Alright, grandpa, but only because I know you won’t let me do otherwise without giving me grief about it,” Chris masked his fear with his indignation and gave Dr. Eggman the research. Dr. Eggman swiped it and grinned, then peered towards Chuck, looking at the label on the file he was holding. His grin widened further.**

**_Shadow The Hedgehog? Ohohoho! My suspicions were correct! I knew that thorn in my side was way too durable and proficient to be natural. Bonus!_ **

**“You! Gramps! Gimme that research, and maybe I’ll let your grandson live to write down another chemical formula. Not a bad deal, eh? We both know what happens if you refuse. If you don’t, I’ll make it obvious!” He then prodded the Scrambler against Chris’ forehead, a red mark forming under the pressure from the barrel. At this point, Chris couldn’t exactly hide the amount of fear in him, but he just stayed quiet, sweat trailing down his face.**

**“I’d make an emotional appeal, but you don’t strike me as one who really cares. You have yourself a ‘deal’, Eggman,” Chuck walked forward and reluctantly handed over the Shadow research while simultaneously pulling his grandson away from the firearm. Eggman then put his weapon down in its designated compartment, turned the mech around, and waved his hand behind him in one swift motion.**

**“Toodaloo, suckers!”**

**“Real mature,” Chris wiped his forehead and stood there with Chuck. He listened to Eggman’s retreating clanging footfalls in the distance. After such a harrowing encounter, there wasn’t much more to say. They figured tomorrow would be business as usual, their plight unknown.**


End file.
